Broadband emission from Ce3+/Mn2+/Yb3+ tri-doped oxyfluoride glasses for glass greenhouse

In this work, a kind of oxyfluoride glasses tri-doped with Ce3+/Mn2+/Yb3+ ions was prepared by a simple and fast high temperature melting method. Under excitation with 300 nm light, two meaningful broad band emissions (ranged from 340 to 500 nm and 510-700 nm) were obtained, which matched well with the absorption of the chlorophylls. Under near-infrared (980 nm) excitation, an abnormal up-conversion luminescence was demonstrated in the oxyfluoride glasses by the energy transfer from Yb3+ to Mn2+. In addition, the up-conversion emission has a red shift along with the increase of the doping concentration of Mn2+, which would contribute to match the action spectrum of photosynthesis better. Our materials will be favored to extend the utilization of solar energy in glass greenhouse for plant cultivation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.